Review: Tala heart cake tin {spiced chocolate cake}

Valentine’s day, like any expression of love, has always been about feeding for me. Some people show it through grand gestures or physical love, for in my house it’s usually through a big plate of baked goods. This year will be my fourth Valentine’s with my boyfriend (!!!) and I’ve not yet been able to beat the heart/house/lobster shaped gingerbread I made for our first. I’m on a quest to do better.

So when Tala contacted me about a mini heart-shaped tin (springform), I jumped at the chance to get my hands on it. I’ve been a bit of a Tala fan since their cook’s measure saved me from a cake-less life when I was without digital scales. It meant maybe I could finally beat my personal best.

I have to admit, I was nervous at first, but only because I’m prone to moments of incredible idiocy when it comes to baking implements. I like to stick to shapes that can be easily lined, or, better yet, have corresponding ready-shaped liners.

But this time, I was pleasantly surprised – the smooth lines of the tin mean you can easily grease it without having to use your pinky fingers to get in nooks and crannies. Tala 1 – 0 Hannah.

Unfortunately, halfway through making the mixture for the cake, I realised the recipe explicitly said “do not bake in a loose-bottomed tin” as it would probably leak. Erm, oopsie. It was too late already, and on I went. Remarkably, the tin held up and despite my pretty major mishap only let two tiny blobs of mixture leak out of the bottom. Tala 2 – 0 Hannah.

When the cake was cooked, I left it to cool in the tin for five minutes before staging the smoothest cake-removal operation ever. It’s honestly idiot (me) proof.

Being so short of space, I wouldn’t usually condone buying novelty bakeware. But actually, the tin is so dinky that it takes up barely any room at all, and is easily suitable for other occasions like Mothers’ Day too.

Method1) Preheat oven to 180C and line baking tin (ideally not loose bottomed!)
2) Combine flour, sugar, cocoa and spices, and rub in the margarine.
3) Stir in liquids, the egg, and a few drops of vanilla essence.
4) Bake in the centre of the oven for 30-35 minutes.I topped it with simple milk chocolate icing, but it would also go well with a more robust chocolate frosting.

Share the love:

Related

The lady behind The Dinner Bell! I'm that person who doesn't let you leave their flat without eating something, and will probably press a parcel of cookies or cake into your hands as you head to the door.
I’m a sub-editor by day, avid book-reader by night, and octopus fan always. I've returned to Norfolk after eight years away, but little bits of my heart still belong to London, where I lived for almost fives years, and Sheffield, where I went to uni and finally lost my bumpkin accent.

About

Hello there! I'm Hannah - welcome to The Dinner Bell. This here slice of the internet is dedicated to seasonal eating, particularly in the UK, with info on what to get when and a plethora of recipes to go with it. It's about food for normal people and ingredients you can get easily.

You can find out a bit more here, or get in contact here. You can even stalk what I'm reading, here!